Council Receives New Homes Bonus Payment

Nearly £13million to spend on services and keeping Council Tax low

The latest New Homes Bonus payment from the Government to Wandsworth Council is the second highest in England, and comes after more than 2,000 newly built and formerly empty properties came into use in the borough in the year up to October 2017.

The New Homes Bonus was introduced by David Cameron's Coalition Government with the aim of
incentivising local authorities to grant planning permissions for the building of new houses in return for additional revenue.

During the 12-month period 88 empty local homes were brought back into use, while 326 low cost rent and shared ownership dwellings were also built.

The Council says the bonus spent on frontline services for residents and helping keep Council Tax low. Cllr Ravi Govindia, Leader of Wandsworth Council, has recorded this message to the borough about what the windfall will be spent on:

Developments contributing to this annual total - the third highest in inner London - include Nine Elms, where it was announced recently that all 116 shared ownership homes in the Riverlight development have been bought by people living or working in Wandsworth.

Construction is also under way in Putney, Tooting and Battersea as part of the Council’s 1,000-home building programme, with more than 60% to be used as council and shared ownership homes and the rest for sale in order to help pay for development. The Building Homes for Wandsworth People housebuilding initiative also has the support of the Greater London Authority (GLA).

Cllr Clare Salier, Cabinet Member for Housing, said, “While Wandsworth has a strong record on delivering new homes, we’re committed to doing much more to meet the aspirations of people living and working in the borough – this is why we’ve already started work on one of the biggest council housebuilding programmes in the country.”

Cllr Govindia added, “By enabling regeneration and development to take place the council ensures a steady supply of new homes for low cost rent, shared ownership and for sale, as well as receiving this welcome New Homes Bonus funding to support our services.”